Raw Feeding for Puppies: Portions and Cautions

Quick answer Raw feeding practice estimates a puppy's daily amount as 2 to 3% of its expected adult weight. For an expected adult weight of 20 kg that is 400 to 600 g a day. Growth makes balance critical, so check the diet with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist before relying on a guideline.

Raw feeding is a topic on which owners and vets hold strong and sometimes opposing views, and nowhere is the care needed greater than with a growing puppy. A puppy is building bones, muscle and organs, so a diet that is a little off for an adult dog can be a real problem for a puppy. This guide explains how raw feeders estimate a puppy’s portions, shows what the numbers look like, and sets out the cautions that apply, including why a vet or nutritionist should look at the whole recipe.

How the portion is estimated

For adults, raw feeding practice uses a percentage of ideal body weight. For puppies it uses a percentage of expected adult weight, because the puppy is growing into that size and needs enough to support the growth. The rule used by the Raw Dog Food Calculator is:

puppy daily amount = 2 to 3% of expected adult weight (or 5 to 10% of current weight, whichever is lower)

The second part is a cap: a very young puppy’s current weight is small, so the percentage of the adult weight could be larger than the puppy can eat. The guideline is raw feeding practice and not an NRC formula, which is why checking against the puppy’s energy needs is important.

A table by expected adult weight

Expected adult weight	2%	2.5%	3%	A cap at 5% of a 4 kg puppy	A cap at 10% of a 4 kg puppy
5 kg	100 g	125 g	150 g	200 g	400 g
10 kg	200 g	250 g	300 g	200 g	400 g
20 kg	400 g	500 g	600 g	200 g	400 g
30 kg	600 g	750 g	900 g	200 g	400 g
40 kg	800 g	1,000 g	1,200 g	200 g	400 g

The last two columns show the “whichever is lower” rule at work for a 4 kg puppy: 5 to 10% of its current weight is 200 to 400 g. A puppy expected to reach 30 kg that weighs 4 kg should be fed no more than about 400 g, not 750 g, even though 2.5% of the adult weight is 750 g. As the puppy grows, the cap rises and the percentage of adult weight takes over.

A worked example

A puppy is expected to reach 20 kg and currently weighs 6 kg.

Percentage of adult weight: 2.5% of 20 kg = 500 g.
Cap: 5 to 10% of 6 kg = 300 to 600 g.
The lower of the two within the range: about 500 g is inside the cap, so the starting amount is about 500 g a day.
Divide into three meals: about 165 g each.
Weigh weekly and score body condition.
Recalculate as the puppy grows.

If the same puppy weighed 3 kg, 10% of its weight is 300 g, so the cap would apply and the puppy would get no more than about 300 g, whatever 2.5% of its adult weight says.

Cross-check with energy

The percentage rule is not a calorie formula. A puppy under 4 months needs about 3.0 × RER and from 4 months to adulthood 2.0 × RER, according to the NRC and Merck tables used by the Puppy Food Calculator. For a 6 kg puppy of 4 months or more:

RER = 70 × 6 ^ 0.75 ≈ 268 kcal.
2.0 × RER ≈ 536 kcal a day.
A raw mix of 1,500 kcal per kg would need about 357 g a day, while a mix of 2,500 kcal per kg would need about 214 g.

So 500 g of a lean raw mix may be about right, while 500 g of a very rich mix could overshoot the calorie need. Compare the energy of your recipe with the target, and weigh the puppy to see which way it is going.

Why balance matters more for puppies

Adult dogs are forgiving of small imbalances over weeks or months. A growing puppy is not: minerals and vitamins in the wrong proportions can affect how bones and joints develop, and the effect can be hard to reverse. Large-breed puppies are especially sensitive to the way they are fed. For this reason Your vet may advise:

Using a commercial complete and balanced raw or other food labelled for growth, or
Having a veterinary nutritionist design or check a home-prepared diet, and
Avoiding changes to the recipe without review.

Do not rely on the percentage rule, or on the 80/10/10 pattern described in our guide to the 80/10/10 raw feeding ratio, as a complete recipe for a puppy.

Meals for a growing puppy

A raw-fed puppy still needs frequent meals when young. The usual pattern is four meals under 13 weeks, three from 13 to 25 weeks and two after that; see how many times a day a puppy should eat. Divide the daily weight into equal portions and keep to regular times.

Hygiene and food safety

Raw meat can carry bacteria that affect people as well as pets, and puppies lick and play with children. Keep these habits:

Store raw food as the supplier advises, in sealed containers.
Thaw in the fridge.
Wash hands, bowls, utensils and surfaces after feeding.
Clean up any spills and uneaten food promptly.
Keep very young children away from the feeding area, and do not let the puppy lick faces right after a raw meal.
Ask your doctor if anyone in the household has a weakened immune system.

What to monitor

Weight weekly, plotting the gain.
Body condition: ribs easy to feel, waist visible.
Stools and coat: firm stools and a healthy coat.
Growth: steady, not very fast. Ask your vet whether the pace suits your puppy’s breed and size.
Behaviour: energy, appetite and interest in food.

If you notice weight loss, a change in stools that lasts, limping, weakness or any other concern, call your vet.

Common mistakes

Using the adult guideline for a puppy.
Basing the amount on current weight only.
Not capping at 5 to 10% of current weight for very young puppies.
Relying on a ratio as a recipe.
Changing the recipe without review.
Skipping vet checks.
Poor hygiene around young children.

Questions to ask your vet

Is raw feeding appropriate for my puppy’s breed and size?
Can you recommend a complete and balanced raw food or a nutritionist?
What adult weight do you expect?
How should we monitor growth?
Which hygiene steps matter for our household?

A growth log for a raw-fed puppy

Because balance matters so much in growth, a log helps you and your vet see how the puppy is doing.

Date	Age (weeks)	Weight	Daily amount (g)	Meals	Body condition	Stools	Notes

Weigh weekly. If the weight stops rising, jumps suddenly or the puppy looks thin or round, speak to your vet. Keep a note of exactly what was fed on each day, because the details of the recipe matter to anyone who reviews it.

What a vet or nutritionist looks at

If you ask a professional to check a raw puppy diet, expect questions about:

The ingredients and the proportions you use, and how often they change.
The calcium and phosphorus content, which matters for bones in growth, and any supplements.
The calories, and whether growth is steady.
Variety, and whether any food groups are missing.
Food safety handling at home.
The puppy’s breed and expected adult size.

They may recommend a particular recipe, a commercial complete food or additions to what you do. Bring your records, and be willing to change the plan.

Mixing raw and other foods

Some owners mix raw with a commercial puppy food. It is not necessarily a problem, but it changes the calculation: count calories from each part and make sure the total is right for the puppy’s weight and age. Our puppy feeding chart gives the daily calories to aim for. Ask your vet whether a mixed diet is suitable for your puppy.

Introducing raw food

If you decide with your vet to use raw food, introduce it gradually:

Start with a small amount mixed into the puppy’s usual food.
Raise the share over several days if stools stay normal.
Weigh the puppy and check body condition weekly.
Keep a note of any changes in stools, appetite or energy.
Stop and call your vet if the puppy is unwell.

Do not make rapid changes in a young puppy, because digestive upsets can dehydrate small puppies quickly.

Red flags to report

Contact your vet if your puppy has persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, stops gaining weight, becomes lethargic, limps or has swollen joints, or shows any change in the way it walks. These can have many causes, but in a growing puppy they need prompt checking.

Asking the right questions of a supplier

If you use a commercial raw product for a puppy, ask whether it is labelled complete and balanced for growth, which standard it was formulated to, whether the maker employs a qualified nutritionist and what testing for bacteria is done. Keep the label and your vet’s notes together.

A cautious summary

Raw feeding of puppies is a topic where informed professionals disagree, and the stakes are higher than for adults because growth leaves little room for error in minerals. If you choose it, do so with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist, use a recipe formulated for growth, weigh the puppy weekly, keep strict food hygiene and be ready to change course if growth or health looks off. If you are uncertain, a complete commercial puppy food is the simplest way to know the diet is balanced.

Quick summary

A raw feeding guideline for puppies is 2 to 3% of expected adult weight, or 5 to 10% of current weight if that is lower.
For an expected 20 kg and a current 6 kg, that is about 500 g a day in three meals.
It is not an NRC formula, so cross-check with the puppy’s calorie need.
Balance matters more for growth; use a complete and balanced food or a nutritionist.
Weigh weekly, check body condition and keep hygiene strict.
Use the Raw Dog Food Calculator and talk to your vet first.

Frequently asked questions

How much raw food should a puppy eat?

A raw feeding guideline is 2 to 3% of expected adult weight per day, or 5 to 10% of current weight if that is lower. It is a practice rule, not an NRC formula.

Why use expected adult weight?

A puppy is growing, so a percentage of its current weight would be too small to support growth to adult size.

Is raw feeding safe for puppies?

It needs a carefully balanced recipe and careful hygiene. Ask your vet whether it suits your puppy and how to check the diet.

How many meals does a raw-fed puppy need?

The same as any puppy: about four meals under 13 weeks, three until about 26 weeks and then two. Ask your vet.

How do I know the amount is right?

Weigh weekly and check body condition. A steady gain and a puppy with easily felt ribs and a visible waist suggest the amount is about right.

Can I use the 80/10/10 ratio for a puppy?

It is a guideline for adults, and puppies need more careful balance, especially of minerals, so ask your vet.

When should I involve a nutritionist?

Before starting, if you plan a home-prepared raw diet for a growing puppy.

Sources

Raw feeding practice guideline: puppy 2 to 3% of expected adult weight (or 5 to 10% of current, whichever lower); not an NRC formula
NRC (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, National Academies Press
WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines

Reviewed by the CalcuPaw Veterinary Review Team

Last reviewed 18 Oct 2026 · Meet the review team · This guide is general information, not veterinary advice.